A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum and the Las Vegas Aces, under first-year head coach Becky Hammon, nearly made it through the entire 2022 WNBA season with the best championship odds. But with a week left, they are no longer the title favorites.
Who is? The defending champion Chicago Sky are Tipico Sportsbook‘s new frontrunners to bring home the trophy (+175). And honestly, they should have been for a while now.
The Sky overtook Vegas for the No. 1 seed in the WNBA standings towards the end of June as the Aces hit a slide, losing three of four games, including one historically bad choke job to the Sky.
The Sky have owned the top seed since, and based on the eye-test, have very clearly looked like the team to beat. Now, they have the odds behind them.
But why now? Well, the playoffs are around the corner, so it’s likely now when people are getting their bets in ahead of its start. The change in odds may suggest that the betting public is comfortable placing money on Candace Parker, one of the W’s best ever, as well as former Finals MVPs Emma Meesseman (2019) and Kahleah Copper (2021).
The road back to consecutive championships will be tough, though.
Chicago doesn’t necessarily have the No. 1 seed locked up, and even if they do secure it, the Sky have lost to the Aces (+200 to win the title) three times this year (including the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game), while Connecticut (+450), Seattle (+480) and Washington (+750) each have a legitimate shot at a title.
Nevertheless, the odds are with the Sky to repeat as WNBA champions, something that hasn’t happened in the league since the Lisa Leslie-led Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002.
Is your money on Chi-town?
